Business travel becomes tougher to justify

Tuesday, July 30 2013

Traveling is a common part of doing business in the global economy. However, the practice is becoming increasingly difficult as enterprises are being increasingly stingy with their expenses. Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and a founder of the Atmosphere Research Group, told The New York Times that new bureaucratic procedures are being created for corporate travel.

"More business people are traveling, but companies are being tighter with their budgets. Travelers increasingly have to justify their trips, and trips have to be approved by more managers. They have to perform the equivalent of a return-on-investment analysis before they book," Harteveldt said.

In today's uncertain economic climate, businesses must ensure that every trip is a worthwhile investment. While some cases might require representatives to travel, the initial investments might be too great to justify other trips. However, employees still need to meet face to face with their remote contacts, even if they aren't allowed to leave the office.

To that end, video conferencing technology is a necessity. Companies can use the communications platform to allow workers to speak directly to their colleagues and clients without have to go on costly trips throughout the year.